JAMES PROVES BIG HIT

The 15-year-old from Burrough-on-the-Hill opened the batting for England Under 16s five times during their seven-game tour, racking up 239 runs in the process.

His contributions helped the team enjoy one of its best-ever trips to South Africa, with England winning all one-day fixtures and losing just one of seven matches.

Taylor made a sensational start to the tour, making an unbeaten 85 in the opening match as he guided the visitors to a 10-wicket win against Northern Suburbs.

He was left out of match two, but looked well set for his maiden England century in the next match against Western Provinces Under 17s when he was dismissed in a freak run out for 83.

Taylor, who made his international debut for England under 15s last year, was again left out of the second innings as England lost their only match of the tour, but in his next outing showed a clear aptitude for the test arena.

He put aside any nerves of playing at Test match venue Newlands by anchoring England's run chase against Western Provinces under 17s with a patient 57. The tourists' two-wicket win was the first by an England under-16 side for several years.

Taylor made 13 in their next match against a Western Province invitation XI on a difficult pitch which saw the hosts dismissed for 83, and in the final match of the series fell for a disappointing one as England signed off with a 63-run victory.

His series run haul put him head and shoulders above his colleagues in the runscoring charts, despite playing fewer innings.

Dad Stephen flew out to South Africa to watch the tour, missing only the first two and last match of the tour.

Mr Taylor said: "It was a shame James didn't get to play more innings because the more tired he is and the more batting he gets, the better he is.

"Missing games doesn't really help him, but it's all a good learning curve for him and the win at Newlands was a real highlight."

The cricket-mad teenager has already returned to the nets at Worcestershire Academy and is expected to earn some appearances with the first class county's second XI this summer.